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Editorial: TSA's $1 billion program fails to hike security

Alamogordo News

Posted:
11/22/2013 09:19:30 PM MST

Is it possible to spot suspicious passengers at airports based on their behavior, even their most subtle facial expressions?

Not consistently or reliably, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office released last week that recommended funding be discontinued for a Transportation Security Administration program that has cost nearly $1 billion. The program is called Screening Passengers by Observation Technique, or SPOT, and involves training "behavior detection officers" and stationing them at airports.

But the takeway from the report was unequivocal: See SPOT fail.

After an exhaustive review of existing studies, the GAO concluded there was no scientific evidence that the SPOT program worked much better, if better at all, than chance screenings of passengers. In other words, a system that simply screens passengers based on random automated selection, the kind of system many countries use in their customs entry points, would probably work just as well.

The underpinning of the SPOT system is based on something called FACS, or the Facial Action Coding System, developed by psychologists in the late 1970s to identify emotions through "micro-expressions" in the face. These quick, subtle expressions do seem to exist, but the science does not appear to be so exact that emotions -- or motives -- can be read with certainty on a regular basis.

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"TSA has not demonstrated that (behavior-detection officers) can consistently interpret the SPOT behavioral indicators," the report said. "The subjectivity of the SPOT behavioral indicators and variation in BDO referral rates raise questions about the continued use of behavior indicators for detecting passengers who might pose a risk to aviation security."

More troubling, though, is that TSA officials implemented the SPOT program despite the fact there was no solid scientific foundation on which to base it.

Critics of the program say it is essentially subjective and that it has resulted in racial profiling.

Detractors also say it can easily result in false positives because people who are stressed -- and that includes many travelers -- often act in ways that might trigger suspicion.

We're not saying that travelers should never be screened based on their behavior, but we believe relying on the SPOT system to do this sounds about as scientific as astrology at this point.

What we think would more likely improve security and relieve stress for everyone is for the TSA to fully ramp up its Pre-Check program so that passengers may be pre-screened for air travel. This program, which allows pre-screened passengers to go through security without removing their shoes, outerwear or belt and to keep their laptops in bags, exists now at 97 U.S. airports but is still not universal.

Some critics will say Pre-Check is invasive because of all the information the government will ask for, but we think it's a heck of a lot better than getting the SPOT treatment.